HABITAT ISLAND + HINGE PARK

Habitat Compensation Island was constructed in conjunction with the development of southeast False Creek for the 2010 Winter Olympics. It was created in response to a Department of Fisheries and Oceans policy that requires shoreline to be created when other shoreline is removed. In this case, the nearby plaza was created by filling in a portion of the Creek with gravel. In its place, the City created Habitat Island using the soil, rocks and sand from excavations in the area. As its name suggests, the island was designed to act as a habitat for wildlife.

Hinge Park (though, apparently the park has not actually been named) was created at the same time as Habitat Island. It was designed by Vancouver's PWL Partnership Landscape Architects with Pechet Studios to give historical reference to the site's former use as a City Worksyard while creating of a naturalized wetland environment. The design is intended to clean the stormwater runoff before it reaches the ocean, while providing a natural habitat to encourage wildlife back to the area.

Habitat Island and Hinge Park are considered successes. A grey whale visited the water near Science World in 2010. In 2013, a beaver was found living at Hinge Park. More permanent tenants include herring, heron, and eagles.